The invention relates to a magnetic resonance tomograph without access to the measurement area during a measurement, comprising a continuous channel for inserting from one side a stretcher for use by female patients during magnetic resonance mammography.
In the conventional closed magnetic resonance tomographs (MRT), the MRT mammography with the resulting additional treatment steps such as biopsy and, if necessary, subsequent therapy is performed in a multitude of steps during which the patient needs to be moved several times into, and out of, the channel of the apparatus. Any surgery on the patient can be performed with such a closed magnetic resonance tomograph only outside the apparatus. The procedure is therefore time consuming and results in high physical and psychological stresses of the patient and involves the risk that the position of the patient""s breasts changes during the long period of the procedure. The long time required for the procedure also results in high costs for the therapy.
EP-A-0 534 607 discloses a magnetic resonance tomograph with two annular magnets within which the patient rests and between which a mechanical device for the heat treatment of tumors of the patient by laser energy is arranged at one side of the patient. A preceding biopsy is not provided with the MRT according to this publication. It would have to be performed outside the apparatus in some other way. There is no suggestion offered in EPA-0534607 how this situation could be improved.
U.S. Pat. No. 5 443 068 discloses a system for a non-invasive treatment of tumors by local magnetic resonance tomography-supported ultrasonic heating. The system includes a magnetic resonance tomograph (MRT) with a continuous channel into which a stretcher can be introduced from one end thereof. The stretcher includes a manipulator with an ultrasound transducer arranged directly below the support surface of the stretcher. The manipulator has a tub-like support arm, that is, a semi-circular support arm supporting the ultrasonic transducer such that it is movable in all three spatial directions. At the same time, the ultrasonic transducer remains so oriented that it always radiates upwardly. The tub-like support arm also includes a coupling medium, which is necessary for the transmission of the ultrasound waves. For the transmission of the ultrasound waves to a patients body a membrane is disposed on the coupling medium on which membrane the patient is disposed and which conforms to the body of the patient. Lateral movement of the ultrasound transducer in the coupling medium is achieved for each of the spatial axes separately by individual cardanic drive shafts by electric motors, which are arranged outside the MR magnetic field so that they have no influence on the field.
It is the object of the present invention to improve a magnetic resonance tomograph of the type as initially described in such a way that the various diagnosis and treatment steps of the MR mammography can be performed in the apparatus while the patients position remains essentially unchanged and to perform such procedures within a short period of time. The positions of the patient relative to the support and the MR apparatus should remain the same as set up before the start of the procedure for the whole duration of the procedure.
In a magnetic resonance tomograph comprising a continuous channel for inserting from one end a stretcher with a female patient lying thereon in a prone position during magnetic resonance mammography, the tomograph comprises a manipulator by which instruments for the diagnosis and surgical treatment of such patients breasts can be introduced into the channel from the other end and positioned in relation to the breasts which are disposed in the isocenter of the magnetic resonance tomograph. The manipulator comprises a support arm, which has a recess for receiving the various instruments which can be installed and exchanged from the other, that is, the proximal end. The support arm with the recess can be pivoted horizontally and vertically about a fixed point located outside the recess and beyond the tip at the distal end of the manipulator adjacent to a breast of the patient.
The invention will be described in detail below on the basis of the accompanying drawings.